Conveying apparatus



Dec. 13, 1932. J. N. wHYTE CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed March 28, 1932.Patented Dec. "13, 1932 UNITED STATES JOHN NICOLAS WHYTE, or; LONDON,ENGLAND CONVEYING Application filed March 28 1932, Serial N o.

plates are pivotally secured.

The material is fed on to these plates, of which the lower ends brushover the upper surface of the pile of material. As long as the platesare in contact with the pile the newly fed material remains on theplates, but

as soon as the latter pass beyond one end of the pile the plates tiltunder the yaction of gravity and the material slides oif the plates atthe angle of repose on to the pile with a smooth rolling action,fracture Of the material being thus avoided.

Owing to wear and tear caused by the dragging of the edges of the platesover the material, such edge portions are made detachable so that theycan readily be replaced. These portions may be in the form of shoes orrollers and may be of abrasion resisting material.

Preferably the plates are suspended at a point some small distance abovethe centre 0 of gravity.

One form of construction of the invention, as applied to a coal bunker,is illustrated in the annexed drawing, in which Fig. l is a diagrammaticelevation of the "5 apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a plan, and

Figs. 3 and 4 represent detail views of a plate.

The material is fed from a source of supply a, which may be a movablecontainer, and iirst falls between the plates which are pivoted at c onendless chains d passing over sprocket Wheels e, into a bunker or hopperwhich is arranged in an inclined manner,

the angle of inclination being selected in accordance with the nature ofthe material being fed.

When there is a suliicient accumulation of material in the bunker theplates during their travel brush over the upper surface of thisAPPARATUS- p 601,633, and'i Great fBrtain Jul-y 430! 19531' material,and assume a substantially horizontal position during such travel overthe material, as shown in Fig. l. During this period the material beinghorizontal plates, and is with them. As each coal-carrying plate reachesthe marginal portion of the hea of coal it is freed from restraint, andtilt under the action of down the edge of the heap to increase the widthof such heap, the sliding action being a smooth one that takes place atthe angle of repose of the material, so that fracture or pulverizationof the material is avoided.

As shown in Fig. 3, the lower portion Z2 Y of each plate b may bedetachable, being secured for example by means of a rivet g. Thedetachable portion o may, as shown in Fig.

gravity, causing the coal to slide G0 fed falls on to the A displacedlaterally 4, be fitted at its lower end with a roller L or the like.

Having thus described the nature of the said invention and the bestmeans I know of carrying the same into practical effect, I claim l.Conveying apparatus comprising a plurality of endless ropes betweenwhich a plurality of plates, normally in a vertical position arepivotally mounted, the plates being so arranged that a portion of theirtravel brush over and are supported by the upper surface of a heap ofmaterial, such plates after reaching one edge of the heap of materialautomatically re-assuming a substantially vertical position. g5

2. Conveying apparatus comprising a pair of endless spaced members,means for supporting and moving said members, plates pivoted ofi centerbetween said members, the pivot points being spaced apart over thelength of said members, said plates being over-balanced to cause same toassume normally a horizontal position in which the plates are spacedapart substantially the distance between the paratus for deliveringmaterial downwardly through the spaces between the normally verticalplates, and a bunker below the hopper and conveying apparatus for thestoring of the material, said bunker being so situated their lower endsthroughout pivotal points thereof, a 1 feed hopper disposed above theconveying apwith reference to the lower flights of the conveyor thatwhen the bunker contains suilicient material, such material will engagethe plates and cause them to be rotated to a substan- 5 tiallyhorizontal position for receiving, supportlng and conveying the materialdischarged downwardly from said hopper, said plates adapted to fall intothe vertical position when clearing the accumlated material for thepurpose of discharging further material along side the stack of materialfirst mentioned.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this s ecication. J HNNICOLAS WHYTE.

